Trump planning ‘snapback’ of sanctions on Iran

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he will try a “snapback” to force a return of UN sanctions against Iran, after the Security Council rejected Washington’s bid to extend the arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.

“We’ll be doing a snapback,” he said, according to AFP, referring to the argument that the US remains a “participant” in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal despite Trump’s withdrawal from it, and therefore can force a return to sanctions if it sees Iran as being in violation of its terms.

The President added that the US will make its move next week.

On Friday, the UN Security Council rejected the US resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran, which is due to expire in October.

Only two of the Council’s 15 members voted in favor of the US resolution.

Washington’s European allies all abstained, Russia and China voted against it, and Iran mocked the Trump administration for winning the support of just one other country, the Dominican Republic.

Before the vote, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed “great hopes” that the US bid to extend the arms embargo will fail, warning of consequences if the UN Security Council backs it.

Trump said Saturday that Iran was a “different ballgame” now, and that the country no longer has the funds to sponsor terror.

“Iran wants me to lose so badly” in November’s presidential election, he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu criticized the UN Security Council’s decision to reject the US proposal.

“Iran’s aggression and terror threaten peace in the region and in the entire world,” Netanyahu said. “Instead of opposing the sale of weapons, the Security Council encourages it. We will continue to act in close cooperation with the US and countries in the region in order to stop the Iranian aggression.”

“The State of Israel will continue to act with all its might against anyone who attempts to undermine its security.”